The story behind the meme is quite contentious. Harambe, the 17-year-old silverback gorilla in the Cincinnati Zoo, met an untimely demise on May 28, 2016. The zookeepers had to shoot him after a young child fell into his enclosure, causing a tragic incident that sparked much controversy.

The exact source of the initial meme utilizing the image is still being determined. However, on July 5, 2016, a Facebook post emerged depicting Harambe, the gorilla, standing on a staircase of clouds while being joined by eight deceased celebrities who left a mark in their respective fields, such as Muhammad Ali and Michael Jackson. This post may have been published due to the "Justice for #Harambe" movement, which accused the child's parents of negligence and mourned the gorilla's death

Since then, the image has been used numerous times to commemorate other notable deaths. Several examples featured non-living entities or people still alive joining the "heaven" after their metaphorical "death." For example, a picture of a broken-down car ascending a staircase to Meme Heaven, with the caption "When your car finally dies and joins the other relics in automotive heaven."

The image spread like a meme flu in 2017 and 2018. Whenever a famous person kicked the bucket, it was like a signal for everyone to start editing the template with their face, like an endless game of celebrity send-offs.

Blank Template

How to Use

• Commemorate the passing of famous individuals
• Remembering a departed soul
• Memorializing a beloved pet/object
• Honoring martyrdom
• Celebrating the memory of someone or something close to heart.

Remember, the template can also be used for non-living things, such as your favorite T-shirt that your mom decided to finally throw away!

References